FAB · Functional Agricultural Biodiversity : Optimising ecosystem service provision via functional agricultural biodiversity

Functional Agricultural Biodiversity : Optimising ecosystem service provision via functional agricultural biodiversity

The expansion of modern, chemical-intensive agriculture is regarded as the principal cause of widespread declines in the abundance and diversity of beneficial insects and the valuable ecosystem services they provide (e.g. crop pollination and pest control). Furthermore, as a consequence of warming winters, many beneficial insects are no longer entering into a winter diapause and are instead remaining winter active. This is rendering beneficial insects increasingly susceptible to winter conditions, particularly during a time when food sources are scarce. Such increased winter activity could lead to novel, potentially competitive, interactions between beneficial insects with implications for the beneficial ecosystem services they provide. If agriculture is to be sustainable into the future, it is imperative that agro-ecosystem biodiversity is supported, along with the natural processes provided by ecosystem services. Enhancing floral biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, particularly during winter months, is one way to reinstate beneficial biodiversity back into agricultural landscapes and to mitigate the loss of insect diversity. The FAB project investigated the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of key beneficial insects using cereal and flower fields in France. Ultimately, the project’s goal was to integrate the concept of functional agricultural biodiversity [the diversity of living organisms within agricultural landscapes that perform important roles] to help farmers restore key ecological services (biological pest control and crop pollination) to ensure biodiversity-friendly production. The overall objectives of the project were: 1. To determine the effect of floral cover on the provision of crops pest suppression (biological control). 2. To determine the effect of floral cover on the provision of pollination. 3. To determine potential synergistic or competitive relationships between key ecosystem service providing insects (biological control and pollination), resulting from specific floral mixes. 4. To propose composition matrices of Functional Agricultural Biodiversity and methods of management which can be applied in the field to maximise ecosystem service provision.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз